Devi Attacking a Demonc. 1630 · Study 1968.72

Context from the museum

The horizontal format of this sacred text is derived from the earlier use of palm leaves instead of paper. This page is from the foundational work of scripture for worshippers of the great goddess Devi. In her warrior aspect, or incarnation, Devi is multiarmed, rides a lion, and conquers demons more powerful than all the male gods. The demon holding a mountain above his head as a missile is dressed in the Central Asian belted tunic and pants of the Mughals, who ruled most of India at the time this painting was made. Devi wears the Mughal women’s style of tall flat-topped feathered headdress, and she holds a bottle and cup of liquor. Aside from these Mughal elements, the style remains staunchly indigenous, with unmodeled figures in strict profile against a flat red ground.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for Devi Attacking a Demon is 10.2 cm wide and 12.5 cm high, equivalent to approximately 4.0 × 4.9 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.82:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.01 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 3.4% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 144.9 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With Devi Attacking a Demon in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 10.2 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?